


You Saved Me

by nightingvle



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Sharing a Bed, but serana has her back, faye is a disaster lesbian, not without complaint of course
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-20 06:07:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20223064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightingvle/pseuds/nightingvle
Summary: Faye's attack on a bandit camp doesn't go as planned, but luckily her vampire in shining armor is there to rescue her.





	You Saved Me

The elf’s gaze travels across the battlefield, searching for her next target, when her eyes lock on to someone attempting to sneak up on Serana. They’re lazily covered from head to toe in light armor, though she can’t blame them for their rush to armor themselves. This attack was more of a last minute plan. As soon as Faye spotted the bandit camp, smelled the baking sweetrolls and imagined the gold she could find within, there was no stopping her. Of course, her vampire companion refused to let her go in alone, no matter how against this reckless plan she had been, and so Faye is now left to defend the other woman as she tears her way through the bandits.

Her fingers twitch in eagerness to shoot her bow as she aims, quickly spotting a weak spot in the armor that leaves his side vulnerable. She smiles and lets loose an arrow.

After so many years of practice, she no longer misses her mark, and it shows in this moment as he doubles over in pain, alerting Serana to his presence just in time. She whirls around to face her attacker, as does Faye when she hears footsteps behind her.

Before she can even think about dodging, a blade is swinging down upon the spot where she’s crouched. She quickly uses her bow to block their attack, wincing when she realizes that’s likely to leave a mark. But she has no time to dwell upon that, for the bandit is already swinging once more, breaking her bow in half with a mighty swing.

Dropping the broken pieces of her once favored bow, she rolls to the right before they can lunge for her again. Faye stands, ready to put her athletic skills to use, when she notices the hilt of the sword coming for her too late. A dull ache begins to form in her head as she falls to the ground, counting herself lucky she hadn’t fainted right then and there.

Her ears pick up on a scream from below, likely belonging to whichever fool thought it a good idea to attack a centuries old vampire. She would smirk under different circumstances but alas, she has an attacker of her own to deal with and it’s not exactly going well. 

Attempting to recover from the sudden hit, she starts to stand up, but then sees the bandit coming towards her with that damn sword. Luckily it looks to be a regular iron sword, not a greatsword. _That_ would be painful.

“Thought we were an easy target, eh?” The person with a deep voice sneers, a helmet covering their identity. “Well, I suppose this’ll teach you and your companion.”

They raise the sword before swinging down with all their might, and Faye rolls out of the way as quickly as she can. It isn’t fast enough.

She doesn’t feel anything at first, other than a dull ache at her side as if she’s been punched. She doesn’t even realize until her hands touch the glistening liquid pooling around her body. Her fingers come back sticky and stained. Even after all her years of fighting and adventuring, this sight is something she doubts she’ll ever forget. All she can do in this moment is lie there, stunned, as she stares at her blood-stained hand.

That’s when the dull ache becomes more than a simple thorn in her side. Searing pain pulsates in her side, leaving her unable to move as she yearns to let out a scream, but all the elf can do is let out a whimper. Her eyes stay stuck on her hand hovering in front of her, now shaking uncontrollably.

More screaming can be heard, along with another pair of footsteps. A sword clatters to her left, but Faye does not move. She doesn’t even know if that’s possible.

All she wants to do is sleep, and the woman can’t think of a reason not to in her thoughtless state. Still, something within her urges her to stay awake, and though she considers it, the urge to rest is far greater. 

Her vision darkens, and the last thing she hears is a voice shouting her name.

~ 

The first time she awakes, Faye is met with more darkness. Her heart beat quickens as her eyes adjust to the unexpected light change. She finds one source of light to the far left of her vision, and turns her head as best she can to see a dying candle flame. Sleep calls to her, but she needs to know where she is, who has taken her.

The rest of the room is hard to make out, and she does not know if it’s because of how blurry her vision seems to be, the darkness, or perhaps a mixture of both. But even in that haze, Faye spots a woman sitting in a chair, beside the candle.

Her nerves calm down and she is sure she recognizes that woman, even if she’s hard to make out. The red standing out among the darkness of her outfit, the soft, dark hair stopping at her shoulders, and the warmth her presence brings.

Faye knows she is safe and this time, she answers sleep’s call.

~

She continues drifting in and out of consciousness, watching as people come and go, but Serana never leaves. Each and every time she awakes, Faye sees the woman nearby, like a moth drawn to a flame. There are times she happens to come to when whatever herbs or potions being used on her begin to wear off, and that dull ache in her side returns. Those are the times she starts to panic, not knowing quite where she is, but then she sees her companion by her side and calms. As long as she’s by her side, no one will hurt her.

One day, her eyes flutter open and the light seeping through the window blinds her for a moment, but her eyes quickly adjust. Her mother had told her that the bosmer have excellent vision, being among the vast green all their lives and unable to light a fire out of fear of harming the plants around them. Their eyes learn to adjust to both the darkness of the night and the blinding light of morning. Faye has never been to Valenwood, but perhaps her vision is something she picked up from her mother. She smiles at the thought.

She can feel the ache in her side, but it isn’t as intense as she remembers. Perhaps the magic being worked upon her did its job. But then again, she hasn’t tried to move yet. She should probably do that—any sight would be more preferable than the bland roof she’s been met with every time she wakes.

Faye carefully turns her head to the left and is comforted by the sight she still sees, for that means she wasn’t just a fever dream. Those amber eyes meet her own, and they widen.

“You’re awake!” Serana exclaims, hurrying over to her bedside as if her life depends on it. “Y-you’ve slept for days. The healer said that’s to be expected but… I had my doubts. It’s not like you to sleep for so long, after all.”

Her lips are set in a frown, and her eyes droop as if she hasn’t slept for days. Faye wants to reassure her that she’ll be fine, to urge her to take care of herself, but no words come out, only a raspy voice that forms no coherent sentence.

“Oh,” she says, reaching for something out of Faye’s line of vision. “You need something to drink. Here.”

Faye raises a brow and Serana rolls her eyes.

“It’s not blood, so don’t be difficult about it.”

The elf would smirk if her lips weren’t so dry. It feels as if she has walked a desert for miles with no water. Guiding her into sitting up as best she can, Serana holds a tankard up to her lips, giving her no option to refuse—not that she would, of course. Right now, she would gladly gulp down even blood if it could quench her thirst.

Water touches the tip of her tongue, and she grows desperate for more. She gulps the water down her throat, not without making a mess, and yearns to grab hold of the tankard herself. 

“Careful, there,” Serana comments, a small smile on her lips as she watches the other girl.

She drinks from the tankard until there’s nothing left, and licks her lips clean of the droplets that had escaped her. She mutters a simple ‘thank you’ to the other girl, still adjusting to having her voice back.

Serana says nothing, only puts the empty tankard back on the bedside table. They sit there in silence, neither knowing quite what to say. All the questions Faye had meant to ask had escaped her, and all she wants to do is sit there, enjoying the other woman’s presence.

“You scared me.” It’s Serana who breaks the silence, gazing down at her hands intertwined in her lap. “Inigo said you’ve never had an injury that severe, and the healer… well, you were lucky to survive that.”

“You know me,” Faye says. “Luck has my back. I did meet you, after all.”

“This isn’t a joke, Faye.” Her voice is stern, but it shakes when she speaks her name.

The elf’s eyebrows scrunch together as she studies the other girl’s expression, who’s not making it very easy when she’s so insistent on looking down. All she wants is to understand what’s going through the other girl’s mind, and so she attempts to lean closer.

Her side screams out in pain and she winces at the sudden feeling that stops her from moving. It gets Serana’s attention, at least, and her head snaps up as she rushes to push Faye back down. In her current state, it’s futile to resist her vampiric strength, and so she lets her.

“You need to lie down,” She demands. “It kind of defeats the purpose of getting a healer if you’re just going to ignore their advice.”

When the bosmer looks up, she sees those familiar amber eyes staring back at her, filled with worry and something else. Her eyes are rimmed with red and tears stain her cheeks. Faye’s eyes widen at the sight. She’s never seen the vampire cry before. She’s gone through a lot and yet, she’s always seemed so… unbreakable—or, at least, that’s how she tried to appear. Just how long has she been holding that in?

“Serana?” Faye reaches out a hand to wipe away a single tear. “You… you’re crying.”

The vampire looks down once more, and roughly rubs away any remaining tears before looking up again. She doesn’t say anything, for a moment, and Faye starts to think she wants to change the subject. But then, the other woman surprises her yet again.

“You scared me,” she admits. “I-I thought I lost you, and I don’t know if I could handle that. You can’t die on me, alright? Not while we still have my father’s plan to stop.”

“Is that the only reason?” Faye quirks a brow, half-joking but secretly hoping there is.

Serana gazes at her for a long while, seemingly unsure of how to respond before she settles on an answer.

“No… it’s not,” she says, crossing her arms as if to shield herself. “I-I’ve never had anyone to talk to, to go on incredible adventures with, and I’ve done plenty of those with you just in the short time we’ve known each other.” She sighs. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, I was… lonely before you came along, and I don’t want to lose this. Lose… you.”

Faye doesn’t know what to say—all she knows how to do is stare at her, as if she’s the first morning sun she’s seen after centuries of darkness. Was this how Serana felt when she awoke from her slumber and met Faye? 

In a way, she understands how Serana feels, sympathizes with the bitter loneliness she must have felt for years. She felt the same way, after all, when she lost her entire family. Even the woman who was like an aunt to her left and never returned. She had isolated herself during those years, convincing herself they would return, all while feeling the pang loneliness brings. Perhaps they still might return—it is a nice thought, but she’s formed her own family of sorts, Serana included, and she doesn’t know what she would do if she lost any of them.

Taking a hold of one of the vampire’s hands, she rubs a thumb over her soft, but chilling hand. It is strange, how cold the other woman feels to touch all while filling Faye with warmth just by her presence. It’s a contradiction, just like their unexpected bond considering one’s a werewolf and the other a vampire.

“Serana... you’re not going to lose me, I promise,” the elf assures her. “I’m a nightingale, remember? I have Nocturnal’s favor, and it is she who influences the tide of luck. And as I said, luck has my back.”

“She can’t always save you.”

“No, but that’s why I have you.” Faye smiles brightly at the other girl, squeezing her hand in thanks. “You saved me.”

“Hmph, I seem to be having to do a lot of that with you.”

“Mmm, getting saved by a beautiful lady is _definitely_ something I can get used to.”

“This beautiful lady might just reconsider saving your ass.”

Faye puts her hands up in surrender, laughing and trying her best to ignore the sudden flair of pain at the gesture. Luckily, Serana giggles as well, not seeming to notice how she winced. It seems like she’s barely got any sleep, and Faye wouldn’t want to worry her any further, as much as she enjoys having such a lovely sight to wake up to everyday. 

“So, where is Inigo, anyway?” She asks, recalling her hazy memories from all the times she awoke. “I thought I saw him here a few times...”

“Oh, he’s staying at the inn nearby. He insisted on staying, but it wouldn’t be good if we have someone else become bedridden. We used some of your gold, too, I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t mind, I have more than enough,” Faye waves her off. “But you should have got a room yourself, you know. You look exhausted, and wait—have you been feeding enough?”

“Inigo brings me… meals when he stops by.” She says, clearly not used to talking to non-vampires about her blood drinking habits. “I prefer staying here. It’s better if someone stays to keep an eye on you and I’m not too fond of staying at an inn with strangers eyeing up my belongings.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were making up excuses.”

Serana sends a glare her way, and she takes it the other woman isn’t too happy about her motives being questioned. Faye sighs, but decides to drop the subject of staying at an inn for now.

“Fine, stay here if you like,” she relents. “But I’m not getting anymore rest unless I know you’re getting some yourself.”

Serana sighs, but gives in.

“Alright...”

She leans back in her chair, attempting to get comfortable, but Faye is quick to stop her. 

“You’re not sleeping there! That can’t be comfortable.”

“I’ve slept in a sarcophagus for three thousand years. I think I’ll be fine here.”

“And that isn’t comfortable either! No wonder you seem so exhausted.”

Serana crosses her arms again before sitting up. She looks around the room and upon seeing nothing else, says, “There’s not really anywhere else to sleep.”

“Well, that isn’t completely true,” Faye rubs a hand at the back of her head, trying to look more confident than she appears. “This bed seems big enough for two.”

As soon as she says that, heat floods her cheeks. You’d think after so many years of pining after women she’d be more confident when it came to flirting, but alas, she seems to turn into a nervous mess around them. It’s not like she was even flirting, really. She’d much rather Serana sleep in an actual bed and seeing as she refuses to stay at the inn…

Looking at the other woman, she realizes she isn’t alone in her sudden awkwardness. Serana’s face is flushed and her eyes are as wide as a doe’s. Perhaps she’s beginning to consider Faye’s suggestion to rent a room.

“I-I’ll be fine here. You need your bed.”

“And you need one as well,” Faye points out. “You’re exhausted, you need rest. And I don’t mind… sharing a bed with you.”

The vampire chews on her bottom lip, stuck in silence as she seems to be thinking about the offer. Faye is sure she’s going to refuse with how red her cheeks are, but the other woman seems to be making it a habit to surprise her.

“Fine,” she says, slowly standing up from her chair. Faye’s eyes widen.

“O-oh, um… here.” Faye does her best to move over despite the pain. 

She internally groans at how pathetic she sounds right now. She really is a mess when it comes to women. There are times she wonders if she’s beyond even Mara’s help. But Serana doesn’t comment on her awkwardness and simply walks over to the empty bedside.

Faye tries her best not to blush when she feels the shift of weight beside her. The room seems to grow hotter in that moment, even with the other girl’s cold skin pressed up against her. Her eyes dart anywhere but the woman beside her.

A silence falls between them, one that presses down on them like a weight. Neither knows how to speak in that moment, nor what to say if they could. Instead, the silence remains and grows comfortable over time. 

Faye’s eyes begin to droop, barely able to stay awake. She always spent most nights turning into a beast, adventuring, or simply pacing her room as sleep continues to evade her. This injury truly has done a number on her and strangely, she’s thankful for that. It’s been so long since she got a good night’s rest, she almost forgot what it felt like.

Even before her days of being the Dragonborn, the night was something she didn’t look forward to. She never could lie still or calm her restless mind. But now, her hand brushes against the vampire’s and she longs to sleep by her side for the rest of her days. A part of her even wonders if it’s the injury, or the other girl’s presence that calms her so.

“Goodnight, Faye.” She’s the first to break the silence, either not noticing or not minding Faye’s hand against her own.

She doesn’t bother correcting her on the word ‘night.’ The both of them are much too tired to care and Faye supposes this is just a normal sleep schedule to other vampires.

“Goodnight, Serana,” Faye responds. “My vampire in shining armor.”

Serana simply giggles, as does Faye, but it’s clear she’s too tired to think of a retort. And the elf is much too sleepy to tease her further. It doesn’t take long for the other woman to grow completely quiet, and Faye can only assume she fell asleep. Faye soon follows her, dreaming of what it’d feel like to hold the other girl’s hand in her own.


End file.
